Careers, Discourse, and Practices in Social Qualitative Research in Chile

Abstract

The focus of this study was Chilean researchers who use social qualitative methods in their research processes. An attempt was made to understand the formation and development of their careers as researchers, the specificities of their research practices, and their discourse related to research.

Individual reflective interviews were carried out with 12 Chilean researchers of diverse ages from a wide range of disciplines and areas of research. The results were grouped into two large categories: category one referred to the particularities of research tasks, especially in relation to the underlying logic of research practice; category two referred to the challenges or tensions that the participants found in their career paths as researchers.

The results show that career path and the logic and practice that guide research are influenced by social, political, and cultural contexts, in the sense of defining choices within social qualitative research as well as research topics.